Lois is 32 and from Andover. She’d spent the last ten years working as a self-employed dog walker and had always worked in the pet industry. But after years of braving the winter weather, she began thinking about something a little more stable and comfortable.
“I just got a bit sick of the bad weather in the winters and wanted something a bit more comfortable.”
When she decided to train as a groomer, she wanted something structured properly and clear about what she’d be able to do at the end of it. After an in-depth initial phone call, she felt confident enough to commit.
“I just wanted to make sure if I was committing that the course would give me what I needed to set up.”
The structure suited her. She started with fewer days and gradually built up to three days a week as her confidence increased.
“I liked starting with fewer days and then building it up as I felt more confident.”
The environment mattered too. She appreciated having space to work and being next to a professional salon while still having a quieter training area.
“It’s really nice, big and open… some places can feel crammed but here it flows nicely.”
Like many students, she noticed herself comparing her work at first. But progress became obvious when certain technical areas started to click – particularly ears.
“At first, I started cutting them too short, but then I learned from that mistake.”
Fixing that mistake and seeing the improvement gave her reassurance that she was genuinely developing her skill.
“I feel proud of my ears because that was tricky to fix and now I feel confident with them.”
Another moment of confidence came when she realised she could “just crack on” and complete grooms independently, without constantly needing reassurance.
Now she plans to build her client base using a table in a friend’s salon while continuing to grow steadily. She’s already been doing some grooms there and sees grooming as her long-term direction.
“I feel confident to go out and do what I need to do now.”
For Lois, the biggest shift has been moving from thinking about it to actually doing it – and feeling capable in the process.
